Ariel Nomad Supercharged

Not perfect, yet still one of the most entertaining cars we have encountered not only This kind of year, yet This kind of century An Ariel Nomad which has been supercharged or, put another way, the kind of product which would certainly result if a design team comprising Billy Whizz, Jim Carrey’s alter-ego from the Mask in addition to Mr Edward Hyde sat down to design a definitely crazy sports car.More specifically, Ariel has bolted a completely new supercharger to the side of the Nomad’s 2.4-litre, four cylinder Honda motor (an entirely different unit better at liberating low down torque than the blower used on the supercharged Atom), which raises its power coming from 235bhp to 290bhp. Less impressive on paper yet more significant to the way the vehicle delivers its performance can be the hike in torque coming from 221lb to 251lb ft at what feels like idling speed.the vehicle also comes with an uprated clutch yet the idea can be down to the owner to decide whether to opt for bigger brakes or more sophisticated damping than standard, in addition to which wheel in addition to tyre option to choose.Even in supercharged form in addition to using a 0-60mph time of close to 3sec on the right tyres, This kind of can be no high speed track weapon intended to obliterate lap records while pulling fighter plane G-force at the apex. Indeed, instead of posting its performance at the outer limits of road car endeavour, as certain versions of its Atomic sister do, the Nomad tackles the challenge of providing pure driving pleasure coming from completely the opposite direction, in addition to never more so than using a supercharger whistling away in your ear.On standard soft suspension (the front springs are rated at just 200lb each) with hybrid on/off road tyres, instead of finding the limit of adhesion a long term goal to aspire to, from the supercharged Nomad you don’t even have to look because very quickly the idea will find you.This kind of can be the key to what the idea does. This kind of can be a Nomad which will break traction at any speed in first, second in addition to most of third gear. If the road can be damp you can also add all of fourth. There’s not much grip, which in a car like This kind of can be usually a Great thing, because the idea means not only does the fun start at speeds fully consistent with the retention of your driving licence, yet also you don’t need to be a genius behind the wheel to enjoy the idea. Whereas driving an Atom on the limit requires private facilities, a steady hand, some nerve in addition to no modest amount of skill, from the Nomad you don’t need much more than a clear, quiet in addition to open bend in addition to a prod of your foot.Most of the time the results are uniformly hilarious. Despite its mid-engined configuration in addition to relatively short-wheelbase, so long as the vehicle can be under power, the back end can be deliciously controllable. the idea will understeer just a touch on turn in, yet as soon as you’re on the gas, the supercharger provides what can be for all intents in addition to purposes a bottomless pit of performance for you to draw upon. Of course those brought up to rely upon traction in addition to stability control systems, sticky tyres in addition to a rather more orthodox ratio of power to grip will need to learn This kind of car’s ways before getting safely stuck in.There are issues, however. There are times when its dearth of longitudinal grip can irk: given the softness of its suspension in addition to location of its engine, the idea should be a traction monster from the wet yet the idea’s not – even from the dry there are times you’d like to be able to use more of the power than you can at low speeds. Also, the vehicle can be too willing to lock its rear brakes at track speeds when trying to slow in addition to turn at the same time. Winding the bias forward, as all Ariel cars allow, diminishes – yet does not eliminate – the trait. in addition to on fast undulating roads the idea’s merely very Great at soaking up the bumps in addition to humps, whereas its configuration suggests something additional-wordly might be on offer.Despite the reservations above, there can be no doubt which for most people most of the time the supercharged Nomad can be Ariel’s most entertaining product yet, a feat achieved amid stiff competition.Yes the idea could be better still, yet I suspect which simply paying a little extra for the more sophisticated adjustable dampers which are available for the vehicle in addition to a rather more road-oriented tyre would certainly iron out almost all its issues at once. Even as the idea can be, the supercharged Nomad can be one of the most entertaining cars we have encountered in years.Ariel Nomad SuperchargedPrice £36,000 (approx) Engine 4cyls, 2345cc, supercharged, petrol; Power 290bhp; Torque 251lb ft; 0-62mph 3.1sec; Top speed TBC; Gearbox 6-spd manual; Kerb weight 690kg (est); Economy NA; CO2 NA by via Autocar RSS Feed